Please tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from and what do you do?
I am a 6th generation Texan and reside in the Houston area. I have been in the corporate gift business for years and I’m building my lifestyle brand, Lady Mary Beth. I am a YouTube creator and share tips to elevate your everyday with thrifting, tablesettings, entertaining, and more. I have filmed segments in the U.S. and Germany.
Your family has had a long history with GAPP. Could you tell us about it?
I met my husband, Christoph, during his 1986 GAPP exchange to Spring Woods High School in Houston. He stayed with our neighbors and we often got together during his visit. My family also hosted a GAPP student, so the group of us were hanging out a lot. Christoph’s family invited me to visit them in Germany that summer. I went and was able to spend time with the Houston students while they were on their exchange trip at the Max Planck Gymnasium in Saarlouis. Though I have never been a GAPP student myself, I feel highly attached to the program. When I met my husband, we were still teenagers. That summer led to twice yearly visits for me to Germany. After I graduated from high school, I attended Schiller International University in Heidelberg.
Did you make other long-lasting friendships through GAPP?
Lifelong friendships were made through the 1986-1992 exchanges. We are close with many and see them often. They are like family to us. I married the “boy next door” nine years after he arrived in Houston for the GAPP exchange. We reside in Houston and spend part of the year at our second home in Saarwellingen, Germany. Haus Schmitz has been in his family since the mid 1700’s.
Your mother also volunteered for GAPP, matching German students with American host families for many years. How was that like?
The German teacher was overwhelmed with the number of students. My mother offered to manage it and matched up students with host families. It became more challenging with changing demographics in our school. My parents hosted three students at a time, even after they had moved 50 miles away.
Is there a certain memory or anecdote you have with GAPP that you are particularly fond of?
I interacted a lot with the 1988 exchange group and we enjoyed a trip to San Antonio, Texas. The students loved the river boat ride. I have very fond memories of that time. Also going to Germany for the first time was magical. Waking up to church bells, fresh pastries, and a cool summer breeze was refreshing for this Texan girl. Local festivals were exciting with the food, fun, and entertainment. It was a time to meet friends and enjoy life.
You are visiting Germany on a regular base. What places do you usually go to?
We mostly stay in the Saarland area, where we have a home. There is always much to manage with recent renovations and maintaining our house. It’s on the border to France and Luxembourg, so we often pop over for a fun day. Heidelberg, Dresden, and Berlin are recent excursions we enjoyed.
What are the things you like most about German culture and lifestyle?
The social connections in Germany are special. It’s normal to be invited for ‘Kaffee’ or meet up with friends in the ‘Altstadt’. Germans are genuine and have deep, lasting friendships. Our lives reflect both languages and culture on a daily basis. I like to say we have a foot in each world.
From your experience, what are the typical expectations German teenagers have about the U.S.?
Some of our students expected us to live on ranches. Having said that, usually a host family did have connections to one somewhere in Texas. They are surprised that we drive everywhere and dining out is part of our lifestyle. The strict dress code in our high school was surprising to the German students. Also, the long school days were not expected. Overall, they enjoyed the experience and could hardly wait to go home and tell their families. It was empowering for them to have this American experience, with a taste of Texas. Some wore cowboy hats on the plane ride back to Germany.
In your opinion, what impact does an exchange like GAPP has on a young student, personally and professionally?
It opens up their world to a new culture and way of life. The confidence gained is evident with many of the students we met. Some eventually studied and started careers in their host countries. One of our former students attended medical school in the U.S. and is a pediatric transplant surgeon residing in the Northeast. My husband was a Fulbright Scholar to Rice University and has been with Compaq/Hewlett Packard Enterprise for 26 years.
What advice would you give to a current high school student who is just about to participate in a GAPP exchange?
This will be the most exciting experience in high school. Years from now, you will look back and realize what an impact it has made in your life. Lasting friendships and a sort of “second home” on the other side of the world will shape you forever. You will gain self-confidence and grow as a person.
